Partick Thistle star Aidan Fitzpatrick on course to reach career milestone – but plans far bigger achievement with Jags

Scottish Sun

5 days ago

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AIDAN FITZPATRICK'S on course for hitting the 200-game milestone for Partick Thistle next season.
But the real achievement he wants is to clinch promotion to the Premiership.
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Aidan Fitzpatrick and Ben Stanway with new front of shirt sponsor Wright Kerr All Trades
Credit: Willie Vass
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Partick Thistle stars during their kit launch
Credit: Willie Vass
Homegrown Fitzpatrick's played 169 games for the Jags over two spells with a three-year period at Norwich City in-between.
It's fair to say he's Thistle through and through.
And there's further motivation for him for the new Championship campaign in wanting to show his true self as a player — after a brutally self-critical verdict on his performances last term.
The 24-year-old said: 'Hopefully I can make it 200 games for Thistle this season, that would mean a lot.
'I said when I notched up a hundred that I was then aiming for the next hundred.
'I've been at this club for such a long time — and I'm always extra proud of anything I achieve with Thistle.
'I've said often that Partick Thistle's probably all I know football wise.
'Yes, I was away at Norwich, but it was for their under-23s and it wasn't the same. I also had a spell at Queen of the South but I had injuries and only played a wee bit.
'So, football-wise, it's been Partick Thistle for as long as I've played.
'Appearance milestones are good, of course. But the BIG aim for me next season is promotion.
Partick Thistle and Ayr United fans scrap on residential streets
'I also owe a lot to the fans.
'My performances last year were nowhere near good enough — and. quite rightly so, they were on my back.
'I actually take that as a GOOD thing. They wouldn't be on my back for no reason.
'The main thing is to go and get the promotion we've been looking for the last couple of years.'
It emerged last season that Fitzpatrick's mum Michelle Rooney had been diagnosed with cancer and was bravely undergoing both intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Thistle fans rallied round the family, which meant the world to Fitzpatrick.
But it's a measure of him that he refuses to even use the emotional torment of his mother's predicament as an excuse for performances.
He said: 'I get people thinking it, but I don't want to use it as an excuse for the season I had.
'I know for the standards I set for myself, it wasn't good enough. Individually, but nor was it for the team.
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Fitzpatrick is ready to reach the milestone
Credit: Willie Vass
'Now we've got a new season coming up — and we're looking forward to it.
'It was tough last year.
"I got to a point where I was actually joking about how bad I was. I'd come off in games thinking 'I'm better than this.'
'I know inside how good I can be.
'I thought my performances did start to improve towards the end of the season.
'Now I feel good and I'm ready for the new season. I'm extremely motivated.
'Maybe I was putting too much pressure on myself, I don't know. All I know is that I'm capable of so much better.
'I'm ready to kick on.
'Mark Wilson's the new boss and I can't speak highly enough of him.'
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He's a big fan of manager Mark Wilson
Credit: Kenny Ramsay
Fitzpatrick added: 'On my day I see myself as one of the team's most exciting players.
'I know what I can do, the fans know what I can do. The opposition know what I can do.
'Now it's up to me to go and show it.'
Fitzpatrick's also entering the final year of his Firhill deal and he added: 'I'm very aware of that. It's a big year ahead and I intend doing well.'
Meanwhile, the Jags new front of jersey sponsors John Kerr and Bert Wright - who own Balmore Industrial Estate-based firm Wrightkerr - are thrilled to be backing their local club.
Kerr said: 'It's going to be a very proud moment seeing our company's name on the jerseys for the matches ahead.'
Wright said: 'We were five or six years old when we first became aware of Partick Thistle. It's a special club and for us to be jersey sponsors is a dream.'
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